This morning I pricked my finger, just as I’ve done for the past 50 days.

But today’s poke was a milestone. It marked my 200th finger prick since my gestational diabetes diagnosis back in October.

In case you’re wondering, poking yourself and squeezing blood out of your fingertip is not fun. In fact, the first few pokes, I cried like a baby and thought I’d never last the entire pregnancy. (I’m the kid who required eight nurses to hold me down during my pre- kindergarten finger prick. Blood and I are not friends!)

I remember complaining to my mom about the massive number of finger pricks I had left in those early days of gestational diabetes. With four sugar checks per day, the number was somewhere over 300. She reminded me to take it one poke at a time and forget about the big number. Her advice was spot-on; I made it through those first few pokes and now it’s smooth sailing.

In a few weeks, I’ll be in a constant state of changing diapers, feeding, bathing and not sleeping. Of course I’m looking forward to it all, but I also know that motherhood is exhausting. Rather than counting how many tasks I have ahead of me, I’m going to think back to my mom’s advice and take it one. step. at. a. time. (And, I’m pretty sure caring for our sweet babe will be a heck of a lot more fun than squeezing blood out of my fingertips.)

To the next 100 pokes… bring it!